8. What changes are needed in our state’s education system? One topic that keeps getting brought up politically is social- emotional learning, which is my platform. I wish people knew that addressing these skills is vitally important — we need our students to be happy and healthy to prevent so many of the things that are happening in our world. We cannot expect kids to focus in school and trust us if their basic needs aren’t being met first. There are a lot more kids who come from trauma in our state than those who don’t, so politicians may say these are skills that should be taught in the home, but the reality is there are so many kids who don’t have that accessibility. It would be life changing for our students if teachers had the right professional development and training to teach these skills. Then, students could go home and teach their siblings and parents these skills. We’d be building better families and ultimately better communities. 9. How are you helping students and teachers learn social-emotional skills during your reign? I have created the free My Mind Guide workbook, which can be used in classrooms and in the home, for ages kindergarten through 12th grade. You can find techniques for anger management, coping mechanisms, breathing techniques, conflict resolution, affirmations to speak to ourselves, as well as tips for learning empathy, kindness and goal-setting skills. These are all the basic skills we need as humans. I’m also working with local partners to develop a similar guide for ages 5 and under. On my website, teachers can find all my free lesson plans as well as ideas for creating a calming corner in the classroom, which I believe every classroom should have. This is where kids can go to read, color, meditate or practice breathing exercises to calm their bodies.
DAY’S FAVORITE PART OF HER REIGN AS MISS OKLAHOMA IS VISITING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.
10. How can parents best support our education system? It’s very hard and discouraging to be a parent right now with our political climate. But the best thing you can do is just be involved in your kids’ educations. Read a book with your child. Show them the importance and power of education. Share the value you’ve gotten from education. And get involved in your child’s school.
Create a Calming Corner at home A Calming Corner is a designated area where kids can go when they need help regulating their emotions. Create your own corner at home with: 1. Comfort items, like stuffed animals, soft blankets and fidget toys 2. Visual reminders or a list of steps for breathing and mindfulness techniques 3. Coloring, activity pages and/or a journal 4. Favorite books
11. What is giving you hope?
At every school assembly I’ve been to, when I ask students to share what they want to be when they grow up, the most common profession they say is a teacher.
Access Day’s free social emotional learning resources for teachers, schools and families, including coloring sheets, goal setting worksheets and more, at skillsbeyondtheclassroom.org.
22 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / JAN-FEB 2024
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online